2004 Kia Carnival LS from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

16th Jun 2014, 00:34

I've had my Kia for ten years. Apart from a CV joint going, that was the only issue I had until a couple of weeks ago, when the car just stopped. When I opened the bonnet, and smoke was coming out of the engine. The RAC towed the vehicle to a mechanic, who claimed the coolant pipe cracked as (it was made from plastic) and spilled all over and cooked the motor. The mechanic claims it's gonna cost me $8000 to replace with second hand motor. My brother and I called quite a few wreckers, and they have all told me the same thing; the engines in this model and all others up to 2009 are lemons of all lemons, and I would be wasting my money replacing my lemon engine for another lemon engine, so now I'm left with a car I cannot sell, or repair. I spoke to the Kia dealer, he had a look at the motor, and said this was a common complaint. Buyers beware of these vehicles.

29th Dec 2014, 09:33

Hi mate, just had the same thing happen to me, but luckily I had just pulled up to visit my brother, when I smelled coolant and smoke coming from the engine bay. When I had a look, I saw that coolant was leaking from the thermostat housing + the bent thermostat pipe + the straight thermostat pipe. On the weekend I pulled it all out and the plastic pipes just crumbled. I'm lucky I did not cook the engine.

Bought the parts for it, which cost $150. Apparently it's a common problem due to wrong coolant. If you neglect it, you will blow your engine and it will cost you a fortune.

27th Feb 2015, 13:30

My Kia Carnival had the same problems. We bought it brand new. My car was well-maintained by Kia motor service. At 56,000km, the engine was overhauled and at 110,000, the engine died and needs overhauling again with no guarantee of how long it will last. I sold the car for $500 dollars. And never will I buy a Kia Carnival again.

27th Sep 2015, 01:15

I bought a 2003 Carnival for $200 as I wanted the middle row seats to use for a project; figured I could get most of the dollars back in scrap after removing those seats.

According to the owner in the advert "it's a deathtrap waiting to happen, bad noise and vibration, couldn't drive it anymore, vehicle no longer runs at all".

Put a battery and fuel in it and drove it home on a permit (60km).

My first take on the car; I was impressed; awesome air con, comfortable and quiet, until the first left hander sweeping corner on the highway, huge vibration and noise, scary stuff, vanished as soon as I straightened up, and returned on every left hander at speed.

Got home, jacked it up, buggered driver's front wheel bearing. So impressed was I that I replaced the bearing, CV and brake pads, and registered her. 2 years later at 139000km, totaled the vehicle vs. semi trailer. My daughter and I climbed out and went to check the truck driver. We were judged not at fault; the truck's insurance paid me out at $6500. Score!

Bought another for $600, 190000 km, replaced driver's front wheel bearing again LOL, registered and started using it. 18 months, engine overheated, had it, bought another for $200, 1999, with the gearbox gone, interior trashed. Installed the engine and away we went again, still going strong 12 months later.

To say I'm impressed with them is an understatement. I was given a 2005 for nothing, engine had had it, and it sits and waits until I find another cheap, or transplant some other motor into her, Mitsi V6 or Mazda V6; haven't decided yet.